Stencil-cutting machine



(No ModeL) 3 eeeeeeeeeeee 1. J. A. HOPP & G. K. PIGKLES.

STENCIL CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

1mm. iii m unity? a llllll :5 a Aztea l 111 1271 to 1 5'.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. A. HOFF & G. K. PICKLES.

STENCIL CUTTING MACHINE.

. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. A. HOP]? 86 C. K. PIGKLES.

I STENCIL CUTTING MACHINE. No. 544,227. W I Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

N g 7 a? Kill?!" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. HOFF AND CHARLES K. PICKLES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGN- ORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN STENCIL MACHINE COMPANY, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

:STENCIL-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,227, dated August 6, 1895. Application filed November 16, 1894. Serial No.- 529,014. (No model.)

[O The object of our invention is to provide improved means for forming stencilsin pa-.

per sheets, cardboard, sheet metal, or board, and relates more particularly to the avoidanceof loosely reciprocating patrices, thereby producing a machine of less moving parts 'and elements in a more compact and easilyoperated manner.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, here- 20 inafter set forth, pointed out in our claims,

and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation of a por- 2 5 tion of the rack-bar and clamp, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a plan of the matrix-plate from which some of the matrices have been removed. Fig. 4 is a plan of the patrix-plate from which some of the patrices have been 0. removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of the patrix-operating devices. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation on the line 6 7 of Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a sectional 5 plan on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation of a portion of the yoke-bar. Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line 10 10 of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a detail front elevation of the yoke-bar. Fig. 12 is a 40 detail View illustrating a modification of our device. Fig. 13 is a detail sectional elevation of another modification. In the construction of. the machine, as shown, the numeral 10 designates a table, hav- 5 ing in one portion an annular depressed portion 11, in'the center of which depressed portion is located a hub 12.

Mounted within the hub 12 is a bolt 13, having a reduced lower end portion bearing horizontal rotation on the upper surface of' the hub 12 is a matrix-plate 14, having marginally-arranged matrices 15, in which are formed symbolical configurations, the reproduction ofwl ich is to be formed in the stenoil-sheet.

Mounted for horizontal rotation on the bolt 13 and secured to rotate conjunctively with the matrix-plate 14 is apatrix-plate 16. The patrix-plate 16 is formed of resiliant metal'in one piece, and has a plurality of radial arms 17,- produced by the formation of radial slots 18 in said plate at uniform distances of sepa ration.

A guide-plate 19, having a series of upwardly extending separated posts 20, is

' mounted upon and fixed to the patrix-plate 16 by means of screws 21, the marginal row of posts 20 on said guide-plate being concentric with the axis of rotation of the patrix and matrix plates.

A collar or shoulder 22 is formed on the bolt 13 above and in engagement with the center or hub of the guideplate 19.

Each of the radial arms 17 of the patrixplate is providedwith a vertical aperture 23 in its extremity, through which is passed the stem 2401: apatrix 25, the upper end of which stem is screw-threaded and has mounted thereon a nut 26, which, acting in conjunction with the patrix 25, rigidly secures the patrix to said arm. The lower end of each patrix 25 is provided with an embossed or projecting portion 27, corresponding in size and configuration with the matrix 15, located immediately beneath the same and registering therewith, the said patrices and matrices corresponding also in number. The arms 17 of the patrixplate 16 are curved upwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, so as to provide for a clearance between the lower face'of the patrix projection 27 and the upper face of the matrix 15 for the admission of the stencil-sheet. Each ofv the radial arms 17 of the patrix-plate 16 is provided with an index-symbol corresponding to the symbolical configuration of one of the adjacent patrices.

A yoke-bar 28 is mounted transversely of the machine from front to rear of the patrixplate and above the same, the rear end of which bar is rigidly secured to the table 10 by means of screws 29, the center of said bar having formed therein a bearing adapted to admit the upper end portion of the bolt 13, to which bolt said bar is secured by nuts 30. A vertical hearing or bossed portion 31 is formed in the forward end of the yoke-bar 28, within which bossed portion is mounted for vertical reciprocation an operating-plunger 32, having a cavity 33 in its lower face adapted to inclose and engage the upper end of the patrix stem and nut. The plunger 32 is also provided with a transverse horizontal slot 34, adapted to admit an arm 35, formed on and laterally extending from a lever or handle 36, fulcrumed on a pin 37 in a bifurcation or slot 38 of the yoke-bar 28. The portion 35 of the operatinghandle 36 has a curved periphery adapted to bear upon the sides (top and bottom) of the slot 34 of the plunger 32.

A slide 38 is mounted outside and in front of the bossed portion 31 of the yoke-bar 28, which slide is provided with a stud 39 laterally extended through a slot 40 in the said bossed portion and seated in the upper portion of the plunger 32. The slide 38 is also provided with a slot 41 below the stud 39, through which slot an adjusting-screw 42 is passed and seated in the adjacent wall of the bossed portion 31. The slide 38 is provided at its lower end with an inwardly-extending flange 43 adapted to engage with and beneath individual arms 17 of the patrix-plate.

A retractile spiral spring 44 is fixed at one end to the yoke-bar 28 within the bifurcation 38, and at its other end to the lever or handle 36 above the fulcrum-pin 37.

Formed on the lower end of the operatinghandle 36, beneath the fulcrum-pin 37, is an arm 45, to which is pivotally connected, by means of a pin 46, a guiding-arm 47, which guiding-arm has a sliding connection or bearing in the slot 38 of the yoke-bar 28. Formed on and extending downwardly from the inner end portion of the guiding-arm 47 is a lug or finder 48, having an attenuated edge adapted to enter between two of the posts 20 and retain said posts in given positions relative to the yoke-bar.

An index-pointer 49 is fixed to the central portion of the yoke-bar 28 and extends at right angles laterally therefrom.

Extending across the forward end of the table 10, and supported above said table on standards 50 50 is a rack-bar 51, the rack in which bar is formed by.V-shaped notches arranged at intervals in its upper surface. A plate 52 having a horizontal bearing 53 is mounted by said bearing on the rack-bar 51, and is adapted for movement longitudinally of said bar. Vertically positioned in the central portion of the bearing 53 is a latch-pin 54 having a V-shaped lower end portion adapted for engagement with individual V-shaped notches of the rack-bar, which latch-pin is secured to and depressed by a leaf-spring 55 connected thereto at one end and secured at the opposite end to the bearing 56 by means of a screw 57. The bearings 5656 are formed on a plate 58, which normally rests on the table 10, and said bearings have a slide connection with the rack-bar conjunctively with the bearing 53. Mating with and immediately above the plate 58 is a plate 56, hinged to the inner end of the plate 52. An adjusting-screw 60 is passed transversely through the plate 52 and seated in the plate 58, whereby the said plate 52 is adjusted relative to the plate 58, and caused to bring into contact and close parallel relation the plates 58 and 50.

The plates 52, 58, and 59, bearings 53 and 56, and adjusting-screw 6O constitute the clamp, whereby a stencil-sheet (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1) is rigidly retained in a desired position. Graduating scales 61 are formed on the forward margin of the table 10 and coincide with the V-shaped notches in the rack-bar.

In Fig. 12 we have provided for a double patrix-plate comprising parallel members 62 63, located at slight distances of separation and formed with a plurality of coinciding radial arms 64 65 in the outer ends of which arms the patrix is mounted.

In Fig. 13 we have provided the plunger 32 with a down wardly-extending socket 66 adapted to embrace a head 67 formed on the upper end of the stencil-patrix, and have formed the washer 68, between the nut 26 and the patrix-arm 17, with an outwardly and upwardly extending flange 69, adapted for sliding and lifting engagement with a flanged lug 70, formed on and downwardly extending from the plunger 32, thusinsuring the return of the patrix and its arm to its normal seat and providing a broad bearing whereby said patrix is uniformly depressed and returned.

In the practical operation of this machine the stencil-sheet is positioned as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and rigidly retained in the clamp by the adjustment of the screw 60, the clamp being positioned relative to the side margins of the machine by manual operation and retained temporarily by the engagement of the pin 54 by one of the notches of the rack-bar. The stencil-sheet being positioned, the patrix and matrix platesare conjunetively rotated to bring the desired symbol or patrix into alignment with the plunger 32, the correct adjustment of said plates being determined by the designation of the pointer 49 to the desired index-symbol, the rotation of said plates being effected by the manual engagement thereof.

Having positioned the stencil-plate and the desired patrix relative thereto,the outer end of the operating-handle 36 is manually de- ITS pressed, thus longitudinally removing the guiding-bar 47, and causing the lug 48 to enwith the depression of the spring-arm and patrix, and, upon the release of the manual depressing-force fromthe lever 36 the said leveris withdrawn into its normal inoperative position by the resilience of the retractile spring44, thus elevating the plunger-slide and spring-arm conjunctively through the engagement of the plunger by the arm and the withdrawal of the guiding-bar from engagement with the guide-posts.

In order to position the stencil-sheet for the next succeeding perforation the clamp is moved, by the application of manual force thereto, longitudinally of the rack-bar the desired distance, and the desired imprint made on said stencil-sheet by a sucessive movement of the operating-handle.

In the provision of the parallel patriX-plates, as shown in Fig. 12,1 have insured the parallelling of the contact-position of the cutting face with the normal at rest position of said cutting-face.

While I have specially referred to this machine as working upon paper, it will be understood that it is as well adapted for stenciling sheets of metal as sheets of paper or analogous material.

What we claim is- 1. A stencil cutting machine comprising a radially slotted plate, providing spring arms, carrying the patrices a plunger adapted to positively engage and move the patrices with their spring arms, in both directions, a guideplate surmounting the slotted plate, having a series of posts,-a radially sliding guiding-arm engaging the posts and a lever connected with the plunger and with the guiding-arm.

2. The combination of the table provided with an annular portion having a hub, the yoke-bar secured to the table, the bolt supported on the hub, and by the yoke-bar, the

' matrix-plate surrounding the bolt, the radially slotted patriX-plate providing springarms and surrounding the bolt, and supported on and rotating with the matrix-plate, the patrices secured'to the outer ends of the spring-arms, the plunger sliding in the yokebar for depressing the patrices, having means for returning the patrices to normal position, and an operating lever, pivoted to the yokebar, having an arm engaging the plunger, subtantially as described.

3. The combination of the table, provided with an annular portion having a hub, the yoke-bar secured to the table, the bolt supported on the hub and by the yoke-bar, the matrix-plate, surrounding .the bolt, the radially slotted patriX-plate, providing spring arms, surrounding the bolt, and supported on and rotating with the matrix-plate, the patrices secured to the outer ends of the springarms, the plunger sliding in the yoke-bar for depressing the patrices, the slide, secured to the plunger having an inwardly extending flange for returning the patrices to normal position and an operating lever, pivoted to the yoke-bar, having an arm engaging the plunger, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the table provided with an annular portion having a hub, the yoke-bar secured to the table, the bolt supported on the hub, and by the yoke-bar, the matrix-plate, surrounding the bolt, the radially slotted patrix-plate providing spring arms and surrounding the bolt, and supported on and rotating with the matrix-plate the patrices secured to the outer ends of the spring-arms, the guide-plate, surmounting the patrix-plate, having posts, the guiding arm secured to the yoke-bar sliding thereon and adapted to engage the posts, the plunger slid- "ing in the yoke-bar, for depressing the patrices, and an .operating lever, pivoted to the yoke-bar, having an arm engaging the plunger, and an arm connected with the guidingarm; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a table of a stenciling machine, of the standards, a rack-bar mounted in the standards, an upper plate having a horizontal bearing on the rack-bar, the lower plate having horizontalbearings on the rack-bar, the pressure plate hinged to the upper plate, the adjusting screw working in the upper plate and seated in the lower plate, and the latch-pin, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a table having a graduated margin a bar mounted on said table in alignment with said graduated margin and provided with notches registering with the graduations of said margin, a clamp mounted for travel on said bar, a spring pressed detent mounted on said clamp and adapted for successive engagement with said notches and means for adjustingthe clamp- In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, N. 'FINLEY.

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